Our Daily Scripture – 9/15/24 (Sunday)

SCRIPTURE:  JEREMIAH 22

JUDGMENT AGAINST EVIL KINGS (vs. 1-30)

The Lord asked Jeremiah to tell the king of Judah this message:  Do what is just and right.  Rescue from the hand of his oppressor the one who has been robbed.  Do no wrong or violence to the alien, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place.  For if you are careful to carry out these commands, then kings who sit on David’s throne will come through the gates of this palace, riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by their officials and their people.  But if you do not obey these commands, I swear by myself that  this palace will become a ruin.” (vs. 3-5)

HERE ARE THE JUDGMENTS TO THE KINGS OF JUDAH:

  1. The city will be like a desert, like towns not inhabited. (v. 6)
  2.  Destroyers will come with weapons to cut up your fine cedar beams and throw them into the fire. (v. 7)
  3.  Kings will be exiled and never return to his native land but die there. (vs.10)
  4.  People will not mourn for Jehoiakim and his burial will be like a donkey, dragged away and thrown outside the gates of Jerusalem. (vs. 18-19)
  5.  The wind will drive all your shepherds away and your allies will go into exile. (v. 22)
  6.  Those who live in Lebanon will groan with pain like that of a woman in labor when pangs come. (v. 23)
  7.  Jehoiachin will be hand over to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.  Together with his mother, they will be hurled to another country and die there. (v. 24-27)
  8.  The sons of Jehoiachin will never prosper nor sit on the throne of David.

THOUGHTS:

PROPHET JEREMIAH ADDRESSED 4 KINGS OF JUDAH:

  1.  Zedekiah (vs. 1-9) – His palace will be ruined and the house of David would have no king until Messiah comes.
  2.  Shallum (Jehoahaz) (vs. 10-17) – He was not following the example of his father Josiah  His sins of covetousness resulted in his reign for only 3 months and he was taken to Egypt where he died.
  3.  Jehoiakim (vs. 18-23) – He would not listen to the voice of God.  He was buried in disgrace.
  4. Jehoiachin (vs. 24-30) – He worshiped idol and none of his children could inherit the throne of David.

God gave the kings the basics for rebuilding the nation – turn from evil and do right.  Josiah was one of the great kings of Judah.  but his son, Jehoiakim was evil, hard- headed and unfaithful in his responsibility to imitate his father.  God’s judgment was on Jehoiakim.  He could not claim his father’s blessings.